Atlanta class obsession/Class insecurity. (Sandy Springs, Roswell: apartments, rent, loan)

[smallvictories]

Originally Posted by aries4118

As are most African-Americans (Blacks largely descended from slaves in the U.S.).


African-Americans (I prefer using Indigenous Black Americans) average roughly 20-25% White/European ancestry.

I started using that term a few years ago. I didn't read it anywhere, I was just trying to find a way to differentiate non-immigrant blacks from immigrant blacks. The word 'indigenous' popped into my head and I started using it. Until now, I was the only person I knew of who used that term.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I agree in fact. What I am saying is that folks like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, the NAACP, and others see themselves as the "leaders of the black community" when that community is in fact very diverse in thought and personal situation and experience.

You make my point, but you also need to acknowledge that folks like the two I mention specifically see themselves as spokesmen.

My wife finds Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson offensive. She says, "I am black, it is not a disease or disability."

She thinks they portray blacks in a bad light. Like you cannot accomplish the same a white person can because you are black.

[AcidSnake]

Totally agree with all of your points.

When reading the bolded part, I have to laugh at the reality that there are still people out there who haven't learned their lessons from the recent mortgage meltdowns and the following current Great Recession. People in my own family are still trying to keep up with the Joneses.

What they fail to realize is that the social safety net that has been existing since the end of President Reagan's 2 terms has been subtly and secretly eroded by several different legal (and illegal) measures. I can actually see a day when America becomes more like a typical third world nation because of the rampant prejudice, selfishness, tribalism, and ignorance that has eroded our great safety net.

Oh well...

Originally Posted by hatgirl007

Let me break it down. Atlanta is very superficial. People do judge you by the type of vehicle you drive and their perception of your wealth. There are so many people walking around looking like barbie dolls who are incapable of forming an intelligent thought or opinion (hence the lack of engaging, intelligent conversation) but feel they are somebody now that they took their funds from their $15 an hour job and bought a Mercedes. People live way beyond their means on a regular basis trying to impress people. Here's the thing that intelligent people understand .....the outside doesn't verify the inside. Ohhhhh. Truth.

I go agree that Atlanta has that new money culture attitude. For those of you who don't know, it's the mentality of flashiness for those people who never had any type of money or success. Old money has the history and advantage of being accustomed to the finer things therefore the flashiness is not necessary. It's why "new money" shows up with a watch on that looks like a walking chandelier with diamonds everywhere. Old money will show up in nice tailored clothing with a Patek Philippe watch.
People in Atlanta have officially caught the vapors. So many people's finances are bad because they are insecure about who they are, being loved for who they are, and are chasing the acceptance of others through the "acquiring" of material possesions to prove to others they are worthy of others approval or acceptance. The reality: you are a walking financial nightmare if you don't put your financial priorities in order. Anyone who forms relationships (friendship or otherwise) with someone who does not understand the importance of: living below your means, investing to create wealth, and money management (so you can have money to ENJOY life and prepare for your future) is retarded. Everyone is trying to keep up with the Joneses in Atlanta.

Jay-Z said it best: you can go to school but you can't buy class. Etiquette rule: name dropping is considered done in poor taste.
It's so bad that people can't hold a decent conversation half the time without being phoney. I sometimes break social norm and make people feel uncomfortable by informing them: "I didn't ask you how much money you make." They don't know what to say.

I've known people myself that had cars that worked fine but they are interested in getting in debt for another vehicle so they can have some perceived standard of wealth in others eyes. Low self esteem is a hard pill to swallow.
You would think in this economy when people have lost jobs, 6 figure salaries, lost their homes, and their lives have been ripped apart financially that the need to live within your financial means would be paramount for everyone.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

No offense, but true old money people don't usually come on internet message boards and post about how they are old money and they are against the new money culture. I am not sure that anyone here really believes that, based on your posts. However, I do think your posts generate lively discussion, so I am glad you are posting here.

Thanks for being glad I am posting! Even if the rest of your post could be considered offensive, but I can be offensive. My wife was readying what I had posted and said, "please do not say any of this out in public." Maybe I am offensive because I speak my mind. But I will give you some rep points.

I would not say what I say on here in person because it could be considered rude(my mother taught me manners), but I will say it here. And yes most people I associate with in Atlanta are disgusted by what goes on in the new money culture and we have had many discussions about it so maybe others do not say anything but I will. And just so you know one of the pretty frequent poster's in the Atlanta room I am friends with in real life and they are from the "Atlanta establishment." I will say there are differences between established money and flashy money because there is and if people do not like it oh well.

And when I use the term new money/old money I am not really associating it with age as much as some people. Because I know people in ATL who grew up poor and now very successful and live an "old money" lifestyle. It has to do more with education and life goals.

And everybody in Buckhead knows the people who come to party in Buckhead do not actually live in Buckhead.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by Tarzanman

Uh. Having a wife who is black doesn't give you any special insight into 'black' culture. You're getting a glimpse. And a small one at that.

Even being black would not make you an expert. African americanism is not a monolith. There are all sorts of class/education/social distinctions and issues which are not simple enough to hear discussed on the news or on the radio.

I am not saying I know what it is like to be black but I know more than many white people. Maybe I have not had minority struggles.(I am 75% white(Irish) 25% Hispanic(Spain)) And like she has said she probably did not have the typical problems that are associated with being black because she grew up in an economically successful family.

It is kind of like the URM thing for college. All of our children will be classified as URMs but have they had the typical struggles in life as other URMs. No. I personally believe the college admission should not look at URM but more at the students economic situation.

Last time my wife had a minority problem you could say was when she was pulled over and gave the officer the paperwork to the car and she was asked multiple questions. She was asked
1. Who owned the car? It was registered just in my name.
2. What was her relationship with the registered owner.
3. Why didn't the insurance match? She has a different last name and my full name was on the insurance card she gave(I have first name, two middles, and two last, but the car is only registered in my First, MI, First last name.)
She thinks there was a racial undertone for why she was pulled over and the questions she was asked. Do I believe her? Yes, she was driving a nice vehicle in a white neighborhood. It does not shock me.

[FlyiMetro]

Like I said the Atlanta Culture is exclusive to Atlanta. No other place has this type of persona except maybe Los Angeles-Beverly Hills metrro area. People can deny all they want, but I see it a lot. People either think they are stars, think they should be with a star or want to be a star. Its like being normal here is LAME...speaking of LAME lol I've never heard that word used to describe everything. His car is LAME, her dress is LAME, he so LAME, she so LAME...lol. People in Atlanta just think they are sooooooo cool. And they spend to keep up with the coolness. I'm not mad at them.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by FlyiMetro

Like I said the Atlanta Culture is exclusive to Atlanta. No other place has this type of persona except maybe Los Angeles-Beverly Hills metrro area. People can deny all they want, but I see it a lot. People either think they are stars, think they should be with a star or want to be a star. Its like being normal here is LAME...speaking of LAME lol I've never heard that word used to describe everything. His car is LAME, her dress is LAME, he so LAME, she so LAME...lol. People in Atlanta just think they are sooooooo cool. And they spend to keep up with the coolness. I'm not mad at them.

Yeah, stuff like that doesn't happen in NYC or Miami or DC or {insert any other city on the planet here}. You're fooling yourself if you don't realize this is a human trait.

[futureATLien]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Yeah, stuff like that doesn't happen in NYC or Miami or DC or {insert any other city on the planet here}. You're fooling yourself if you don't realize this is a human trait.

I agree, as I've gotten older, I've learned how to avoid it. I come from a middle class family(although my dad made100k (not sure if he still does)) and I never found the appeal of bragging about material things. Granted I wear what some may consider nice clothes, but I also drive a corolla because it's inexpensive to maintain and gets good miles as far as gas is concerned. Material things are just..material things. I have more to be concerned about

[txstate]

Thats why I stay in H-town, were not worried about what you are driving as long as your driving to work or getting paid. All we do is work party and hang with friends and family, too many people in this city to be looking and brownnosing.

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by neil0311

To me, my feeling is what does it matter what other people do, as long as they don't ask me to pay for it? If people brag about what they buy or brands they think are status symbols, then don't hang around those people and/or ignore them.

Personally, I buy value and sometimes brands provide that value and sometimes they don't. A great and simple example is that I only buy Heinz ketchup....period. I don't care if it's 20x more expensive. I also only buy Q-tips brand....period. Some things are better and provide more value.

I usually don't hang around people who like to brag about material things. Though some of them are close friends of family members and we do get into mini trifts about buying babies Michael Jordan shoes and such because I think that is ridiculous - buying children expensive things like a $50 pair of shoes for a newborn.

I admit, I buy a lot of name brand things - especially big ticket items. I like good quality things and I like to buy American made items, which usually cost more. I am willing to spend more for quality but I also don't go around bragging about what I buy because that is pretty stupid to do.

Heinz BTW is not all that great, my mom used to work there when I was a kid (there and Hunts) and told us horror stories about what goes on in the factories. She used to make the ketchup. We got a LOT of free ketchup and other things, especially when she worked at Hunts they'd give her all the pudding they weren't going to ship, to this day I am not a fan of ketchup, pudding, or Manwich.